In this area, there are traces of prehistoric settlements from the Copper Age (2000 B.C.) and the Bronze Age (1800 B.C.), but the city did not become relevant until Roman times. From this period, there are remains of two Roman roads, two Roman bridges, of which the “Treviño” bridge must be highlighted for its considerable size, and a viaduct. The latter site was destroyed during the Arab invasion and subsequently rebuilt under the name of Jamila. As this name is of Hebrew origin, it is believed that Jewish families lived here. The battle of Navas de Tolosa (1212) fought by Alfonso VIII of Castile against the Almohads put an end to Arab rule over La Mancha, and marked the start of an intense repopulation process on these lands. Thus, Jamila appeared in 1245 as a village populated by the Knights of the Order of Santiago. Due to the unhealthy conditions of the land, the inhabitants of Jamila moved to a neighbouring area called La Moraleja, a village in the Montiel district, which was the nearby capital of Campo de Montiel during the Middle Ages. By the start of the 15th Century, La Moraleja tripled Montiel in population and for this reason, the Master of Santiago and prince of Aragón, Enrique, considered it necessary to make La Moraleja an independent village, granting it its own jurisdiction and seal on 10 February 1421. In appreciation towards him and his siblings, La Moraleja changed its name to Villanueva de los Infantes.
The houses of golden sandstone, with their whitewash and more than two hundred crests, according to tradition, indicate to us that this is a special town. The layout of the houses repeats itself: a central courtyard, balcony, stairs, door to the farmyard and other rooms. Its over six thousand inhabitants are proud of their town and the restoration of their monuments and houses. In 1845 it was considered a city, and since 1975 it has held the title of Historical-Artistic Site.
A thorough study recently carried out by specialists from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid has determined, with a great degree of accuracy, that the place Cervantes referred to as “the place of La Mancha” where Don Quixote was from, is Villanueva de los Infantes.
